As Jin makes his way through Ghost of Tsushima's second act, he will come upon the multi-quest Yarikawa storyline. With Lord Shimura now free from captivity and the Sakai clan armor freshly acquired, Jin must convince the former rebels of Yarikawa to join the fight against the Mongols. Having begun the process in "The Walls of Yarikawa," Jin realizes that if he wants these former enemies to join his cause, he must first show them that he is worth trusting.
"The Coward of Yarikawa" picks up directly where "The Walls of Yarikawa" leaves off, with the small town and stronghold completely surrounded by Mongols. Yarikawa's best archers have gone missing, and Jin must act quickly to find them before General Temuge and his Mongol soldiers decide to press the charge and overtake the town. As Ghost of Tsushima's story continues, Jin will once again be forced to choose between his honor as a samurai, and his desire to defeat the Mongols by any means necessary
How to Start "The Coward of Yarikawa" in Ghost of Tsushima
To begin "The Coward of Yarikawa," simply head to the mission marker outside the Ruins of Old Yarikawa. This mission will only be available after completing "The Walls of Yarikawa," which ends right in the heart of the town of Yarikawa. As such, it makes sense to begin "The Coward of Yarikawa" immediately after finishing the previous mission.
As Jin gets closer to the mission marker, he will hear the sounds of Yuna and Taka arguing. Approach and speak with Yuna to begin the mission.
Locating the Missing Archers in 'The Coward of Yarikawa'
Jin will discover that Taka has decided to join him and Yuna on the search for the archers of Yarikawa. While Yuna is adamant that he returns to the stronghold, Jin reluctantly agrees to let Taka stay and help.
As the trio begins to examine the area, they will find several dead Mongols.
Objectives:
- Examine the dead Mongols
- Search for tracks
Follow the wind to find two dead Mongols propped up against a burnt wooden cart. Interact with the prompt when Jin gets close to the bodies, then follow the tracks to investigate further.
- Follow the unknown tracks
- Search the house for the archers
The tracks will lead along a path, then off into the grass. Jin will be able to interact with the tracks several times, pointing him in the right direction each time.
Be careful when arriving at the house, as a large black bear will burst through the shoji and try to attack Taka. Once the bear is dealt with, enter the house and investigate all available areas. Once Jin has interacted with everything, Yuna will call him outside.
- Speak with Yuna
- Search near the campfire
- Follow the tracks
Yuna finds a campfire that is still warm, which leads Jin to believe the archers are still nearby. Examine the area around the fire, including the large cart with explosive barrels. This will lead Jin to tracks that he can follow from the fire into the nearby fields.
As Jin follows the tracks, he will notice the archers in the distance, looking like they are following prey of their own.
- Approach the archers
- Survey the Mongol camp
As Jin gets closer to the Yarikawa archers, a cutscene will initiate. It turns out the archers were attacked while out looking for supplies. Once complete, Jin must survey the Mongol camp, looking out for archers that have been taken prisoner.
Ambush the Mongol Patrol in 'The Coward of Yarikawa'
When Jin is done speaking with the archers, the game will cut directly to the ambush of the Mongol patrol. There is nothing Jin has to do, as the Yarikawa archers will trigger the ambush if Jin does not. However, there are various hazards laid out in the Mongols' path.
Once the Initial explosion occurs, Jin can either shoot at them from the rooftop or take the fight to them on the ground. There is a fair amount of Mongols, but nowhere near as many as other points in the game. Once the fight is done, speak with Daikoku, the leader of the archers.
- Speak with Daikoku
Though the game says to speak with Daikoku, it will actually be Yuna that Jin speaks with. She is upset that Taka took part in the fight. She and Jin have a brief argument, though it seems to end amicably enough. With the archers back, the group can now help break the siege with the Yarikawa stronghold.
With that, this brief mission comes to an end. Jin and the group will be able to complete this string of quests with the next mission, "The Ghost of Yarikawa," which becomes available as soon as "The Coward of Yarikawa" is complete.
Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut is available now on PS5. Ghost of Tsushima is available now for PS4 and PS5.